Midnight Plague
by xxMaplestar
Summary: Sequel to Forbidden Love! When rats come into the forest, it puts all of ThunderClan at jeopardy. Jayfeather is sent on a journey to find a cure, but he is not alone. Rated T for safety may change . Please R&R!
1. Prologue

**Hi, everyone! It's ****Maplestar**** again. I've been requested to do a sequel for my previous story. Thank you so much for all of the positive (and negative) comments!! I ****luffs**** you all! I promise that this one will be a bit happier than the last one. Thank you so much for reading! Hope you like the new one 3**

**Prologue**

_A small black figure slipped out form the cover of the bushes and sniffed around cautiously. When it saw that the coast was clear, it motioned its tail for the others to follow. A few more black figures came out as well, their skinless tails trailing out behind them as their pink feet hit the ground._

_"Is it safe?" one of them asked._

_"What? You don't trust my judgment?" the first one growled._

_"No, it's just that—"_

_"Okay, then shut up!" the first spat. The other was silent and the group carried on. They weaved their way around logs and fallen leaves, and then came to an area where there were no leaves. They all looked above their heads to see endless pines. It wa__s__ dark underneath them, and it could probably keep them well disguised._

_"What's that smell?" a pregnant one said._

_"Don't stop!" The first bared his teeth at her and she shrank back, and then continued to walk. They finally came to a clearing. Their black pelts blended well with the darkness of the night, and they walked through it. The smell got stronger and finally, the first saw a huge sleeping figure._

_"__Go__!" he growled. They all stopped. __"I'll handle this." The rest all scurried to the cover of the trees and waited. The first turned back to the sleeping creature and took in its scent. He recognized that scent…_

_"Retreat!" he yelled. The thing that had been sleeping lifted its head in alarm. The first began to run, looking over his shoulder. The creature got up and chased after it, its claws shining brightly in the moonlight. The first ran as fast as he could, but then felt a searing pain in his tail. He looked back again and saw the creature clinging onto it. He let out a shrill cry, but the creature didn't let go._

_The __creature's__ pointed ears flattened to its head and it bared its huge fangs. Then it brought its paw up to his back and its teeth to his throat. He screamed for mercy, but the creature's fangs had already sunk into the back of his neck, just allowing him to let out a gurgled moan. _

_The cat got up, licking blood from her jaws, and then looked down at the dead body._

_"Rats," she said to herself alou__d._


	2. Allegiances

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors!

**THUNDERCLAN**

**Leader** Firestar- ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt

**Deputy** Brabmleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Medicine** **Cat** Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (Apprentice, Jayfeather)

Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with blue eyes

**Warriors** Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat

Cloudtail- long-haired white tom

Brackenfur- golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with ember eyes (Apprentice, Icepaw)

Thornclaw- golden brown tabby tom

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Ashfur- pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes

Spiderleg- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes (Apprentice, Foxpaw)

Brook Where Small Fish Swim (Brook)- brown tabby she-cat, formerly of the Tribe of Rushing Water

Stormfur- dark gray tom with amber eyes, formerly of RiverClan

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom

Millie- silver tabby she-cat, former kittypet, blue eyes

Berryfrost- cream-colored tom

Hazelpatch- small gray-and-white she-cat

Mouseclaw- gray-and-white tom

Honeywhisker- light brown tabby she-cat

Poppystream- tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionfire- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Hollymist- black she-cat with green eyes

** Apprentices**

Icepaw- white she-cat

Foxpaw- reddish tabby tom

**Queens** Ferncloud- pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes

Dasiy- cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

**Elders** Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat

**SHADOWCLAN**

**Leader** Blackstar- large white tom with huge jet-black paws

**Deputy** Russetfur- dark ginger she-cat

**Medicine** **Cat** Littlecloud- very small tabby tom

**Warriors** Oakfur- small brown tom

Roawnclaw- ginger tom (Apprentice, Ivypaw)

Smokefoot- black tom (Apprentice, Owlpaw)

Snowbird- pure white she-cat

**Queens** Tawnypelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, mother of Tigerkit, Flamekit, and Dawnkit

**Elders** Cedarheart- dark gray tom

Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

**WINDCLAN**

**Leader** Onestar- brown tabby tom

**Deputy** Ashfoot- gray she-cat

**Medicine** **Cat** Barkface- short-tailed brown tom (Apprentice, Kestrelpaw)

**Warriors** Tornear- tabby tom (Apprentice, Harepaw)

Crowfeather- dark gray tom (Apprentice, Heatherpaw)

Owlwhisker- light brown tabby tom

Whitetail- small white she-cat (Apprentice, Breezepaw)

Nightcloud- black she-cat

Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws

**Queens** Gorsetail- very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes, mother of Thistlekit, Sedgekit, and Swallowkit

**Elders** Morningflower- very old tortoiseshell queen

Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom

**RIVERCLAN**

**Leader** Leopardstar- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

**Deputy** Mistyfoot- gray she-cat with blue eyes (Apprentice, Dapplepaw)

**Medicine** **Cat** Mothwing- dappled golden she-cat (Apprentice, Willowpaw)

**Warriors** Blackclaw- smoky black tom

Voletooth- small brown tabby tom (Apprentice, Minnowpaw)

Reewhisker- black tom (Apprentice, Pouncepaw)

Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes (Apprentice, Pebblepaw)

Beechfur- light brown tom

Rippletail- dark gray tabby tom

**Queens** Dawnflower- pale gray she-cat

Graymist- pale gray tabby, mother of Sneezekit and Mallowkit

Icewing- heavily pregnant white she-cat with blue eyes

**Elders** Heavystep- thickset tabby tom

Swallowtail- dark tabby she-cat

Stonestream- gray tom


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Jayfeather flexed his claws in the morning sunlight and stretched his jaws in a wide yawn. Later on he would be going to a gathering with the rest of the Clan. Until then, he had to find something to do. Feeling like an impatient kit, he made his way back to the medicine cat den, scolding himself. When he got there, he sat down beside his mentor, waiting for her to wake up.

After a few minutes she stirred and he walked over to the herbs piled up in the corner of the den. As he began to sort them out, Leafpool stretched and walked over to him.

"Good morning, Jayfeather," she purred. "We need to go out and collect some chervil and chickweed later. So, get something to eat and we'll go right after." Leafpool flicked his shoulder with her tail and went out into the main clearing, and now Jayfeather smelled only herbs. He got to his paws and followed her out.

His brother and sister, Lionfire and Hollymist, were in the clearing now, and were sharing tongues. Jayfeather got a plump mouse and went to join them.

"Oh, hey, Jayfeather," Lionfire greeted.

"Hi," Hollmist chimed in. "How're you today?"

"Fine," he replied. "You two?"

"Good," the two warriors replied at the same time.

"Are you going to the Gathering this night?" Jayfeather asked.

"Yep," Hollymist purred.

"Firestar wants me to stay and guard the camp," Lionfire grunted.

"Maybe you'll get to go next time?" Hollymist suggested, trying to cheer up her brother.

"Thanks," he said. Jayfeather bit into the mouse in front of him.

"We're going on a patrol soon," Hollymist mewed.

"I know," Lionfire semi-hissed.

"I wasn't talking to you," Hollymist shot back, noticing his aggression. "Why do you always assume that I think you're mousebrained?"

"'Cause it's true," Lionfire replied. Jayfeather sighed softly. Ever since Hollymist's best friend, and Jayfeather's love, Cinderpelt died, Hollymist hung around with her brother. Jayfeather was happy that she found someone to keep her company, but the two were constantly bickering.

"I have to go," Jayfeather meowed, taking a final bite and getting to his paws. He groomed himself for a few seconds before padding off to find Leafpool.

"You see? He left now!" he heard Lionfire hiss behind him.

"Are you saying it's my fault?" Hollymist gasped. "You're the one who got all in-my-face all of a sudden." Jayfeather rolled his eyes. While distracted, he knocked into someone and staggered backwards. His fur bristled and he smelled the air to find out who it was.

"Sorry, Jayfeather," Leafpool said. A pang of guilt shot through him, for he knew it was his fault that they had collided. He didn't point that out, though, and, instead, said:

"It's okay. Are we going now?"

"Yes," she mewed. "Did you eat?"

"Yes." Jayfeather flicked his ear. It was as Leafpool still thought he was an apprentice. Then he took into notice that he had gained his warrior name quite early. He pushed away the thoughts because every time he thought about when he had earned his name, he also thought about…

"Alright, then let's leave now." Leafpool spun on her heels and led him out of the camp. She pressed against his pelt a few times to guide him around obstacles, but he moved away. By now, he had memorized almost every paw step of the forest.

They neared the ShadowClan border and Leafpool had finally got his hint. The scent of pine trees got stronger, and Leafpool made a sharp turn to the right. He heard a swish of air as her head turned to face him.

"Jayfeather, wait!" she called and jumped to his side. But it was too late. Jayfeather felt his front paws slip out from under him and he fell forward, unable to balance his weight. He let out a sharp yowl as he pummeled down into the earth. He landed hard on his right paw and then tried to sit up. Pain seared through his leg, and then his whole body.

"_What is this?!_" he growled angrily. He calculated how far he fell and found that it was a few taillengths down.

"Jayfeather!" He heard Leafpool's voice above him. "Are you okay?"

"Yea," he lied. Unable to see what was around him, he began to panic. "A little help would be nice, though!"

"What happened?" she asked, as if sensed he was hurt. There was no use lying again, for that would only make things worse.

"I hurt my paw," he meowed.

"Are you… able to jump back up?" Leafpool called. Jayfeather exhaled quickly. Then he crouched on his hind paws. Careful to keep off his one foot, he tried to pounce to the top. He hit the top of the edge with his good paw, but when he tried to haul himself up with his other, he cried out with pain and fel again.

"I'll, uh…" Leafpool stammered. Jayfeather knew that she was freaking out. "I'll get help! You stay here, okay?"

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere," he hissed sarcastically. He heard Leafpool's hurried pawsteps as the ran back to the camp. Jayfeather sat down, trying to give his injured back a break. He knew it wasn;t broken, but he had definitely sprained it. He tried to lick it and soothe it a bit, but then pain shot through his body like a bolt of lightning. Or perhaps he had dislocated it.

He sighed and scented the air. He smelled a different scent—one he had never smelled before. Carefully rising to his paws, he walked over to the source. He didn't touch it, but out his nose a bit closer. It was a dead and decaying body, of that he was sure. He left it alone and then another thought came into his mind.

Why had ShadowClan done this? Why did they need to dig holes on the edge of their territory? Confused, Jayfeather sat back down, waiting for Leafpool. He wished that he had someone to keep him company—anybody. Then another scent drifted about him—one that he hadn't noticed when he first fell. It was a sweet scent this time, though.

"Jayfeather," came a soft voice. Jayfeather nearly jumped out of his fur until he recognized who that voice was coming from.

"Cinderpelt?" he called desperately.

"Yes," she replied. The scent wrapped itself around him and he drank it in, close to tears, yet filled up to his ears with happiness.

"Why did you come to me?" he asked. "I mean, in my waking life," he added quickly, noticing how pushy he had sounded.

"_In a time of everlasting night, one with darkened sight will bring light,_" she began._ "Travel far and journey hard, the chosen one must. But he will not be alone. Her word he will have to trust."_

He knew he had just received a prophecy. What did it mean though? Not caring about that for now, he realized that her scent was fading.

"No!" he meowed helplessly. "Don't go, please." He felt something brush against his muzzle and her scent flowed around him for a split second. Then, it disappeared and Jayfeather was left alone again.

"We're here!" a voice shouted overheard, snapping him out of his thoughts.


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Jayfeather noticed the voice as Brambleclaw's and soon he could hear a body lop beside him. He knew that his feather was next to him.

"What happened?" he asked. Jayfeather glanced at his paw, and Brambleclaw took a closer look at it. "It looks sprained." It felt weird—Jayfeather was a medicine cat and yet here he was, being told what was wrong by his a warrior cat who had never even dreamed of becoming a medicine cat.

"I know," Jeayfeather answered, trying to push away the awkwardness. Brambleclaw purred softly.

"So that's it?" he asked. "No other major injuries?"

"Nope."

"Hurry up!" Leafpool called impatiently from overhead. Brambleclaw snorted.

"C'mon," he meowed. "Before Leafpool has a fit." Jayfeather forced a chuckle because he knew that that would make his father feel good. Brambleclaw then let Jayfeather rest on his shoulder. He tensed his muscles and counted to three. Then he leapt, with little help form Jayfeather.

Brambleclaw's paw almost missed the edge with Jayfeather's weight, but then scrabbled up successfully. Leafpool breathed a sigh of relief and touched her nose to Jayfeather's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"Yea," he meowed.

"Do you think you will be able to go to the Gathering tonight?" Brambleclaw asked. Jayfeather's belly lurched when he thought about it. Jayfeather turned his sightless gaze to Leafpool, pleading for an answer. Then he reminded himself that he could take care of himself and lowered his eyes.

"Yes, I think so," he replied, before Leafpool had the chance to answer.

"Let's head back," Leafpool spoke up, and began walking towards the camp without waiting for them to say anything. Brambleclaw and Jayfeather glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed her. Brambleclaw let his son lean up against his shoulder so that he wouldn't have to put wait on his paw. Jayfeather was grateful that he was being so nice, even if he could take care of himself. As soon as the moved a paw though, they heard a howl behind them.

"Someone fell in the trap!" Jayfeather and Brambleclaw spun around, and Leafpool came running. Jayfeather noticed the scent of Ivypaw, Rowanclaw's apprentice. Sure enough, her mentor was their too, along with Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy.

"Trap?" Jayfeather growled.

"Yea," Ivypaw replied. "We put them here because—" Her voice was cut off by Rowanclaw's menacing snarl.

"That's for ShadowClan to know," he told his apprentice. Fear scent drifted off her pelt.

"You should have known better," Russtefur added, a bit more gently.

"What are you doing near it?" Rowanclaw demanded.

"I fell in!" Jayfeather said, defending himself. "Why did you put it so close to the border?"

"Let's just go," Russetfur meowed, and she bounded off into the pines. Ivypaw followed her, and Rowanclaw ran after them reluctantly. Jayfeather blinked. What was going on?

"That was odd," Leafpool pointed out.

"We'll surely bring it up at the Gathering tonight," Brambleclaw hissed, as if the ShadowClan warriors were still listening.

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

Since Leafpool had gotten a head start, she reached the camp first. Jayfeather could hear uproar of mews come from the clearing, and then as they realized who it was their voices turned to accusing yowls. When Jayfeather and Brambleclaw walked into the clearing, Hollymist ran up to her brother and pressed against his flank.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes, fine," Jayfeather replied. Lionfire came up to him too and asked the same question. Jayfeather must have said that he was fine about twenty times before he finally got to the medicine cat den. He propped himself down beside a pile of herbs and noticed that Leafpool wasn't in the den. _She must be talking to Firestar._ Jayfeather scowled at the world when he thought back to how many cats had come up to him and asked how he was. Why did that have to be so paranoid? He was blind, not a kit!

After a few minutes of tending to his paw, Leafpool came into the den. Jayfeather didn't so much as move his head to glance at her, but just flicked his ear to let her know that he knew she was there. Figuring out why Jayfeather was annoyed, Leafpool sat beside him. She pressed her muzzle to his shoulder comfortingly.

"We just worry about you because—" she began, but Jayfeather cut her off with a hiss.

"Why? Because I'm blind? Because I'm helpless? Because I can't take care of myself?" His neck fur bristled more with every word he said.

"No," she replied, still keeping her cool tone. "Because we care for you, and we love you. It has nothing to do with your blindness." Jayfeather had the strong feeling that she was just saying it to say it, not

because she meant it. But he didn't want to believe that, so he lowered his head slightly. Leafpool pressed against his side.

"Don't think that the Clan thinks your helpess," she continued. "We know that you will grow up to be a great medicine cat, long after I die." Her mentioning her death made a chill go up Jayfeather's spine. He turned his head to gaze at her with unseeing eyes, but then a yowl came form the main clearing.

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below the Highledge?" It was Firestar's voice; he was going to choose who went to the Gathering. Paws prickling with curiosity, Jayfeather stepped out into the main clearing, followed by Leafpool.

"I have chosen who is to go on the Gathering tonight," Firestar said once every cat had come to listen. "These are the cats who shall aid me tonight: Brambleclaw, Leafpool, Brightheart, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, Berryfrost, Hazelpatch, Mouseclaw, Honeywhisker, and Hollymist." Jayfeather took a moment to let his leader's words sink in. Then his fur stood on end with rage. His paw was fine, and it hardly hurt now.

So why wasn't he going to the Gathering?


End file.
